Word for Word 2/14/18

Pastor Duane Smith
Pastor Duane Smith

Valentine’s Day is upon us again. We all knew it was coming and yet many of us will be rushing to buy cards and flowers at the last minute. This is a day for those who are married (or hope to soon be married) to express their undying love for their significant other. While this is a good thing, many people feel the obligation of the holiday can take away from the sincerity of the expression of love. I believe husbands and wives need to communicate their love for one another and if it takes a holiday to make them consider how to express it, well, at least they are doing it!

We all know that marriages are about far more than candy, a card and some flowers. It takes much more effort than a once a year holiday to make a marriage successful. What does a great marriage look like? There seems to be a lot of different opinions as to what a great marriage is. Most of us have heard people say that marriage requires sacrifice, unselfishness, commitment, and many other good things. While these are necessary ingredients for a good marriage the Bible indicates that there is something deeper that is necessary for us to not only have a good marriage but a great one!

In Ephesians 5:22-33 the Bible gives us the blueprint for a great marriage. Yes, I realize that this is the “wives submit to your husband” passage that has been used over the years to excuse men who want to be domineering, but that is not at all what these verses are teaching. To submit means to willingly put yourself under another. God has given the responsibility for the leadership of the home to the husband. This does not mean that the wife is in any way inferior. What it does mean is that she recognizes that her husband is the head of the home and responds to him accordingly without usurping his authority to herself. This may sound a little oppressive until we understand what God’s command is to the husband.

Husbands are commanded to love their wives as Christ loves the church. How does Christ love the church? He gave up His life for it! Not only that, He is also actively at work in the lives of His followers so that He can present them to Himself in a glorious, sinless state! He is constantly working for the betterment of those who trust Him.
Husbands are to love their wives to the point of being willing to sacrifice their lives for her protection but, more than that, they are to continually love their wives by looking out for her good. The word “love” that is used in this passage means “seeking the highest good for another person.” If a husband is willing to sacrifice his life for his wife and is constantly looking out for her good, it is going to be easy for a wife to put herself under his leadership.

When a husband loves his wife as he should, and a wife respects her husband as she should the resulting marriage relationship is a great one! Don’t settle for less.

Pastor Duane Smith
First Baptist Church,
Waukon